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Friday, March 4, 2011

Clinton: Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua are exceptions to democracy in Latin America

The U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton said Wednesday at a Senate hearing that Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua are "exceptions" to the current "sustainable democracy" and economic growth in Latin America. During a hearing of the Foreign Relations Committee of the Senate, Clinton praised the American continent, with the "notable exceptions" of these three nations, "have entered an era of sustainable democracy and economic growth." "A lot of what America is very proud and grateful," Clinton said, reiterating Washington's support of the Government to free trade agreements with Colombia and Panama, pending ratification.

Political support for Colombia, a country with which Washington has had a "successful partnership" in the fight against drugs and against guerrillas, and support for these two trade pacts "are tangible evidence that the U.S. is truly concerned with our friends the region, "Clinton emphasized.

The U.S. diplomat said in particular that, thanks to the policy that keeps the country in the region, Brazil "is booming," and a "real success story", with the "greater proportion of tax revenue and the Product GDP in the continent. " The Brazilian authorities "have used that money to invest in social inclusion, to improve their education and health," said Clinton.

Other countries like Chile "had similarly good leadership and good investments" and the trade agreement has been agreed with the U.S. "provides an economic base of stability that allows democracy to flourish," he noted. The U.S. also intends to "improve security assistance to our friends in Central America, as has been done through the Merida Initiative in Mexico, he said.

Clinton said the U.S. has a "big agenda" working on the mainland, by listing the challenges of Caribbean countries to combat organized crime and drug trafficking. He mentioned the upcoming tour of the U.S. president, Barack Obama, Brazil, Chile and El Salvador, from 19 to 23 March, but added that "we must do more to strengthen the bonds of friendship and partnership in the region.

Clinton went to the second of four hearings this week to defend the budget request for the State Department for fiscal year 2012, which begins in October.

1 comment:

The problem in the foreign policy of the United States towards South America for the last 30 years has been that they have used a cookie cutter approach to every country in the region. Americans believe that countries in South America are all the same and do not require individual policy. That has been a flawed and disastrous practice that has given rise to all the left leaning presidents now in power.